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brand newbie - help!

well, not only is this my first ever post to a forum, but today is my second official day of training having signed up yesterday to a sprint distance at the end of june and a classic in august. so, i thought i had better carry out an initial feasibility study to test my fitness and triathlon potential: it took me 35 mins to swim 1500m yesterday and my arms felt like they were going to fall off. this morning i did 30k on a bike in the gym and then promptly fell off the back of the treadmill when i tried to start running... i don't think this is going to go well for me!! i also plan on wearing my summer surfing wetsuit and i only have a mountain bike of very questionable roadworthiness.



i am so worried that i'm going to be frowned at for being a complete triathlon heathen and hated for being slow by everyone!



any advice/reassurance would be greatly appreciated!!









Comments

  • Cheryl6162Cheryl6162 Posts: 356
    One thing you NEVER have to worry about is anyone being annoyed with you or you getting in anyone's way. They are all big boys and girls and are quite capable of going round you if they need to.



    This forum will gives you heaps of help and advice and a few good laughs to boot too!



    Regarding your training - too much too soon is the answer there! You need to let your body adapt to the new regime before you start brick sessions (jumping off bike to run or swim etc). The jelly legs episode is hilarious I know - happens to me too- hence the fact that I don't use the treadmill for it but actually run off somewhere instead. It will only take a minute or two before your knees come down and you cease the John Cleese impressions and actually start to run properly.



    Log in to the forum as often as possible and you will find all sorts of levels of triathletes, from complete beginners (like me) to elite, like Conehead and many more... Do also buy Coneheads book How Triathlon Ruined My Life, great fun and a lot of info in there that makes you realise YOU ARE NOT ALONE!



    Good luck with the training!
  • woodslehwoodsleh Posts: 3
    thanks guys!



    the rookie training day looks good.



    glad the training dramas aren't just me, will have a nose around the rest of the forum to find out what everyone else is up to - it's pretty daunting not knowing anything when most seem so accomplished in their training/competing!!



    also thinking of joining a club but not sure of the welcome i'll get - they all say they cater for all standards, but do they really?





  • andyb99andyb99 Posts: 229
    mate i dont know what you're worried about.....i am 39 and have signed up for liverpool supersprint....i cant even swim 400m (well i did last night but not without stopping every few lengths) and have never swam in open water.....i'm ok with the bike and run distance on their own but think it will be a challenge to do it all together. how old are you??? if you can do 30k on a bike you'll be fine for sprint.



    and i doubt anybody will ridicule or be cross with you...everybody started somewhere....right???
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    A decent club should look after members of all abilities. Have a chat with someone at your nearest club. They may well let you come along to a few sessions before you commit to joining, so you can get an idea of whether or not it's for you.
  • woodslehwoodsleh Posts: 3
    i'm 25. have done a couple of half marathons and 10 and 5ks - plodding, i might add - and i have broad shoulders like a swimmer (although i have no idea why!) so i hope that will work to my advantage! it's the bike that i'm most worried about. i have to overcome my phobia of cycling on roads; i live in london and the traffic terrifies me! in retrospect i probably should have given more thought to this before jumping in and signing myself up! what an idiot! is it possible to train just on gym bikes?!
  • andyb99andyb99 Posts: 229
    as for gym bikes i cant answer that cause it will be my first time too. but i'm certainly using one at my gym and also doing 'spinning' class. i suspect people might say its best to get out there so my sugestion is strap the bike to your car and get out to hyde park or windsor park and get some miles in...i'm training down a canal path so there might be that option for you.

    hope it goes well...for you and for me....

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